This disclosure relates to a handle assembly, such as an exterior door handle, for a motor vehicle door.
Motor vehicles include doors having exterior door handles that are coupled to an associated door latch mechanism for opening the door. Typically, a user actuates the door handle by pulling a strap portion of the handle relative to a base portion of the handle, which is rigidly mounted to the door. As long is the door is unlocked, this pulling action mechanically and/or electrically causes the door to unlatch, thereby permitting the door to be pulled open. Under typical use conditions, the user pulls the strap portion of the handle using a relatively low load in order to release the door latch mechanism and open the door.
However, the handle assembly is often subjected to more extreme loading conditions. Under extreme loading conditions, the door might be unintentionally unlatched (causing a dangerous door-open condition at a time when it is important for the door to remain closed) or the door assembly might be damaged.
As one example of an extreme loading condition, during an accident a vehicle might be subjected to a high inertia force. Such forces present the possibility that the door latch mechanism can be unlatched by virtue of relative movement of the handle strap portion or other portions of the door latch mechanism relative to the door. In recent years, there has been development of locking mechanisms to attempt to prevent the opening of a door in the event of such a high inertia force. While these locking mechanisms work for most crash situations, high acceleration impact, extensive sheet metal deformation, or vehicle rollover may result in forces that require more sophisticated locking mechanisms.
As another example of an extreme loading condition, in some instances, the cable linked to the door latch mechanism may become frozen in place or portions of the latch mechanism may become bound (for example, due to corrosion). When this happens, it is not uncommon for the person trying to open the door to pull the handle strap portion of the handle assembly even harder in order to force the door open by putting all of their strength or weight into the pulling the handle strap portion. However, the application of extreme loads to the handle assembly in order to try to actuate the latch mechanism to open the door when the door is in fact stuck, can potentially result in further damage to the components of the handle assembly requiring significant increase in component size and or component material type to withstand such excessive loads.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improved handle assemblies that are capable of withstanding extreme loading conditions of various kinds in an efficient manner.